Leigh Genesis 0 Witton Albion 2

There was no festive cheer for Leigh Genesis as they were finally able to play their first league game in almost a month and a half of inactivity, but Lee Merricks’ side had a disappointing return to action on a freezing winter's afternoon at Warrington Town’s Cantilever Park.

The last time the two sides met, Genesis ran out comfortable 3-1 victors over a Witton side that were severely struggling to meet the heights of last season's play-off campaign, but since then Leigh have seen chairman Dominic Speakman resign from his position and withdraw his financial support of the team, therefore leaving new manager Lee Merricks to mould the best side possible from successful reserve team graduates, with an average age of just eighteen taking to the field against Witton.

With the Cantilever Park pitch bathed in bright wintry sunshine, it was Leigh who had the first chance of the game, eighteen year old striker beating ex-Leigh defender Paul Booth before seeing his low shot saved at the near post by Greg Smith.

Neil Black fired a volley wildly over the crossbar when well positioned for Witton, but his side took the lead on eighteen minutes in bizarre circumstances, left back Danny Warner's right-sided corner kick deceiving Genesis goalkeeper Dean Porter and swinging in to the goal with the assistance of the far post.

Sixteen minutes later and that lead was doubled when a free kick from the left hand side was headed against the crossbar by Booth, with Neil Black on hand to nudge the rebound over the line from close range with Porter beaten.

Genesis had golden opportunities to pull a goal back on either side of the break, Phil Marsh managing to only unleash a disappointing shot straight at Smith after a bright run had taken him past a couple of attempted challenges, while Scott Sefton rolled the ball agonisingly on the wrong side of the post within three minutes of the restart when breaking clear on goal.

Although Chris Rogers wasted a terrific chance for Leigh when too sluggish to react to Smith superbly parrying a strong Sefton strike from debutant Ross Thaker's pinpoint cross, it was Witton who looked the more likely to add to the scoring late on, though the basement side had to be content with a two goal victory that puts them within a couple of points of safety, while Genesis look nervously over their shoulder in seventeenth position, though admittedly with as many as eight games in hand on some of their rivals.

Leigh make the long trip to Kendal Town on New Years' Day (3pm) before a shorter journey to face UniBond Premier League rivals Ashton United on Saturday 3rd January in the UniBond League Challenge Cup Third Round (3pm).

Leigh Genesis; Dean Porter, Richmond Botchey, Chris Rogers, Chris Page, Alex Cunliffe, Scott Sefton, Ross Thaker, Chris Clements, Sam Parkinson (Rob Farrington), Phil Marsh (Chris McCaughtrie), Steve Settle (Richard Chetcuti)